


Tell Her You Love Her

by lil_sis24



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-15
Updated: 2015-03-15
Packaged: 2018-03-17 23:22:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3547535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lil_sis24/pseuds/lil_sis24
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While Regina and Emma both respectively contemplate their feelings towards each other, Neal figures it all out and gives one of them a shove in the right direction. SwanQueen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tell Her You Love Her

**Author's Note:**

> My first SQ work. English is not my native language.  
> The song that inspired it is "Tell Her You Love Her (Acoustic)" by Echosmith (I highly recommened listening to it while reading!)
> 
> I hope you'll enjoy the story!

She sat there with her eyes closed, relinquishing in the quietness of the room, of the house, enjoying the solitude, if at least for a little while longer. Emma would be back soon, bringing Henry with her. He had been spending the weekend with Neal – his father. She tries to be amicable, at least, towards that man, but she doesn't like him. She doesn't like him at all. Emma's ex. She didn't quite understand the flaring up of jealousy in her chest at that thought. No, that wasn't right. She knew exactly why. But she tried to reason it away with the fact that they got to spend the weekend together as the happy little family they could be – if it wasn't for her. She frowned.

And then sighed.

After all this time she should know that her thoughts could be somewhat of a downwards spiral for her mood. It wasn't worth it, she reminded herself. Henry was more important, the most important person in her life, to be exact. He wouldn't leave her. Not anymore at least. She knew that. She could trust him implicitly.

And Emma? She wasn't sure about Emma. They had been becoming more and more friendly towards each other. And if she was being honest with herself, she often caught herself staring at Emma, a warm feeling spreading all throughout her body, starting in her chest, making her all tingly inside. And she knew what it meant, oh yes, she knew exactly what it meant. But that didn't mean she had admitted it yet, not even in her thoughts. But right now, she was acknowledging it, and that was something new for her. Emma made her feel something. Made her feel warm, safe, jealous and... cherished. But did Emma even realise how she made Regina feel? She didn't know that. And she didn't want to get her hopes up. Because what if Emma didn't feel the same? What if Emma only wanted the friendship they were trying to establish these past few weeks? She frowned again. No, better not think too much about it. That would only lead to madness, something she was desperately trying to avoid these days. And besides, she could clearly see how interested Neal was in Emma. Surely Emma wouldn't mind reliving their past. He still meant something to her, still was important to Emma, she knew that much.

She just hadn't seen them being overly affectionate towards each other, not in public anyways.

No reason to get your hopes up, she admonishes, the frown still etched onto her features.

 

And that's how Henry and Emma found her an hour later, still seated at the kitchen table, deep in thought and frowning. Dinner was ready and the table set. For three.

Emma's heart started beating faster. Did Regina want her to stay for dinner? Sometimes she would be invited for lunch or dinner, most of the times by Henry, rarely by Regina herself. It had nearly become a regularity now.

She probably expects someone else, though, Emma thought to herself and sighed inwardly. She knew exactly what she felt for the mayor. She admitted it to herself a while back already. But that was the point, only to herself. Well, until this weekend.

As she arrived at Neal's place to retrieve Henry, Neal tried – again – to kiss her. It was not the first time he tried and she didn't want him to know the real reason before, so she just tried to avoid him. But today, today he had been quite forward in his advances. That was what made her confess. She told him she was in love with someone else and asked him again to leave her alone. Who she was in love with, Neal figured that out on his own. She figured that he knew her too well, still. Because if not that, then she was being too obvious and that was something she absolutely hoped wasn't the case. She sighed.

 

“Are you alright, Miss Swan?” Regina asked quietly over Henry's head. As soon as they came in, he ran to her and hugged her tightly and that's where he still was, clinging to his adoptive mother after not seeing her for two days. Regina loved and appreciated every second he was being affectionate with her or let her be affectionate with him. On some days she lived for exactly those moments.

Emma looked at her, surprise clearly shone in her eyes at the gentleness of Regina's tone.

 

A small smile played over her lips before Emma finally answered.

“I'm alright, Regina. Just thinking.”

 

The brunette regarded her carefully. The smile seemed almost sad to her. Her heart clenched in her chest at that thought. “If you say so.”, she allowed, holding eye contact with the blonde over Henry's head.

At that, though, Henry let go of her and made a bee-line for the stairs.

“I'll put my stuff upstairs!” he yelled over his shoulder and then vanished up the stairs. Just a few seconds later, they heard his bedroom door close.

 

“Would you like to stay for dinner?” Regina asked and looked away.

Emma's smile brightened instantly, her eyes shining hopefully. “Really?”

“Would I have asked otherwise?” Regina threw back with an eye-roll, but it was lacking its usual bite in her tone of voice. Had been lacking for quite a while now, Emma realised in the same moment as Regina did. They both looked up and at each other sharply, scrutinizing the others reaction to that realisation.

Then Emma smirked. “No, probably not.”

“So will you, or will you not?” Regina asked again, her voice now sounding at least a little exasperated.

“I'd love to, yeah.” she answered with a quiet chuckle.

The brunette regarded her with a thoughtful look for a few seconds and then smiled brightly at her.

 

“Good. Fetch Henry, then, dear, so that we can eat before it gets too cold to still be edible.”

And with that she turned around and went over to the stove to get the plates ready for the three of them to eat.

 

 

* * *

  


Dinner was a rather loud affair. It was mostly Henry talking, though, animatedly telling them about what he and Neal had done, which games they had played, what activities they had planned for the next time they'd see each other, what food they had had and which topics they had been talking about. Regina and Emma both made acknowledging noises and little comments, smiling at Henry and his excitement. But then the food was eaten - “SO delicious, Regina!” came from Emma, “Yeah Mom! That was really yummy!” said Henry and Regina smiled and blushed lightly at the praise – and Henry excused himself from the table, taking his plate with him to put it away into the dishwasher, which left Emma and Regina alone.

 

The brunette took another sip of her wine before clearing her throat.

“So, how is Neal?”

Emma raised her eyebrow. “Since when do you care about his well-being? Not that I mind, he's doing fine, I guess, I didn't really ask him, to be honest. But I know you don't really like him that much, which is totally fine, I know how annoying he can be.”

Regina shrugs lightly. “No need to ramble, dear. I was just trying to be polite.”

The blonde laughed and Regina furrowed her brows. “I don't see what's so funny.”

Emma snorted. “Yeah, no. Just... You don't have to pretend with me Regina.”

The brunette's eyes went wide at that. What did she mean? “What do you mean?”

“Just that. You don't have to pretend that you care about his well-being. I couldn't care less myself, 'Gina. So tell me, why would you ask about him?”

 

Regina sighed at Emma shortening her name. She tended to do that since they started to become friends and at first she didn't like it at all. But now, she had to admit, that she'd grown fond of it. But that didn't mean she would admit it to Emma.

“I was... trying to make conversation, I guess...” she looked down at her nearly empty plate. Now that dinner was over, Emma wouldn't be staying much longer. But if she made conversation with her, if she managed to captivate the blonde's attention, then she might forget about having to go home, about having to leave. Regina didn't want Emma to leave yet.

 

“If you don't want me to leave yet, you would've just had to say so, 'Gina.” Emma smiled softly at her.

“Did I say that out loud?” Regina asked breathlessly, her heart beating fast. Did she really?

Emma chuckled again, a rich sound, coming from her chest. “No, you didn't. But I can read your facial expressions pretty good. Half the times at least. It was a lucky guess, I have to admit, but you just confirmed it!” She smiled her cheshire smile, her eyes glinting with mirth in the dimmed lights of the kitchen.

Regina scoffed and stood, gathering the plates in her hands, a smirk playing over lips. “Oh, dear, you wish you could, hm?”

The sheriff got up as well, finding the wine bottle to refill both their glasses. “I'm actually pretty sure that I can. As I said. Half the times. Anyway. I'll stay a little while longer, if you don't mind.”

 

“Not wanting to walk in on your charming parents?” she asked over her shoulder, another smirk on her lips.

“Ugh, don't remind me. Yeah, that, too. I'm also enjoying the company here. So?” There was a hopeful gleam in her eyes now. Or was it just Regina's imagination? She couldn't say for sure.

“If you must.”

At that, Emma stuck her tongue out at the mayor.

“Very mature, Sheriff Swan.” Regina commented with a roll of her eyes.

“I could always leave” Emma threatened.

“Not getting any better there, dear. You want me to tuck you in like I will be going to do with Henry in a few minutes?”

“Oooo, sassy!” was Emma's only comment as she handed the brunette the refilled wine glass.

They looked at each other and then dissolved into peals of laughter. Emma loved the sound of Regina's laugh. It wasn't something she got to hear often. So she tried to make her laugh more often. And marveled at it every time she succeeded.

 

* * *

  


While Regina went upstairs to tuck Henry in (“Tell him good night and sweet dreams from me, please?”) Emma checked her phone, typing a quick message to Snow that she'd be staying at Regina's for a little while after dropping Henry off.

She noticed that she already had a message. But it wasn't from Snow. It was from Neal. With an eyebrow raised in curiosity she opened it.

“Tell her you love her.” was all it said. Emma froze.

“What's wrong?” Regina asked as she came back into the kitchen minutes later, finding Emma still staring absentmindedly at her phone. When no reaction came, the brunette stood closer to her, resting her hand on the blonde's arm. “Emma?”

That brought a reaction from the sheriff. She looked up and directly into Regina's eyes that were filled with a variety of emotions. Curiosity, worry and a warmth that Emma found could easily be mistaken as love. Was it love? She desperately wanted it to be love. How could she tell the woman in front of her that she loved her? How? She took a deep breath, her eyes filling with tears over her helplessness. She would never let them fall, no, but the tears were there. Undeniably. She shook her head at herself.

Regina leaned closer, now clearly worried. “Emma, what's wrong?” she asked again, slight desperation in her voice.

The blonde cleared her throat. “Neal messaged me.”

“What does the son of the imp want? Is he demanding more time with Henry? Is he threatening us to fight for custody? Did he threaten you with kidnapping our son? Is he-”

“Woah woah woah, 'Gina. He did no such thing. Not at all. He... I...”

“What? Emma, what is it?”

Instead of answering, Emma shoved her phone with the still open text message into Regina's hands and took a few steps back, turning away from her.

Her ears were met by silence for the next few seconds. It felt like they were dragging on, becoming long minutes of silence.

 

“What does he mean with that? Do you know?” Regina finally asked in a whisper.

“Yes, I know what he means.” Emma answered just as quietly, turning back around now but not looking at the other woman.

“Emma?” she heard Regina's voice again, this time much closer. “Who does he mean with that?”

 

The blonde looked up and met the searching eyes of the older woman. “Regina... it's.. I...” Emma sighed, sounding nearly defeated. “Iloveyou” she finally rushed out in one breath, her eyes looking away again at the quiet gasp coming from the other woman.

“I love you, Regina. Whether you love me, too, or not, I cannot change my feelings for you. Neal.. he tried to kiss me and I told him no and that I was in love with someone else and then he figured it out, somehow. I didn't tell him. I didn't tell anyone. But I.. I had feelings for you for a real long time now and -” Emma suddenly was being interrupted by soft lips covering hers. Her eyes fluttered close and she sighed almost in relief. Regina's hands were suddenly on her arms, then on her shoulders and finally cradled her face in her hands, stroking her thumbs gently over Emma's cheeks.

The blonde's hands found their way on the older woman's waist and she pulled on her body, wanted, needed her closer to her, needed to feel her close to her.

They kept their kiss light, savoring the feeling of having the other woman close, of finally tasting the one they loved.

“I love you, too, you idiot.” Regina whispered against her lips and Emma chuckled.

“Your idiot.” she whispered back.

“Yes. Mine.” Regina said looking up at her, smiling brightly.

 

* * *

 

 

The next morning, Regina was the first one up. Emma had stayed the night and they had cuddled and talked and kissed a lot until they fell asleep snuggled up to each other. She smiled while starting breakfast and coffee for all of them, reminiscing the previous night that changed so much and didn't at the same time. Everything that happened just felt so right. Holding Emma, being held by Emma, kissing her and being kissed back by her. It felt right. She finally felt whole.

 

She quickly decided on what to make for breakfast. Henry would be downstairs in a few minutes, too, Emma was still sleeping, but she would wake her up as soon as breakfast was done.

As she gathered the ingredients for pancakes, she saw Emma's phone lying on the counter-top where they left it the night before. When she activated the screen, it showed Neal's text message still open. “Tell her you love her”

Regina smiled and then, quickly, typed a response.

 

“She did. Thank you, Baelfire. - R.”

  
  
  
-fin.

**Author's Note:**

> While the first few paragraphes of this story have been written a few months ago already, I never found the time or the muse to continue it. That it is now finished is the "fault" of my twin-sis-by-heart, as we chatted late into the night about Regina and Emma and their feelings and SwanQueen in general and also about songs that made us feel sq feels. And that's how I got the rest of the story. So, this story is dedicated to Madeleine, thank you so much for helping me finish this, even though you didn't know at the time ;P


End file.
